Guilty knife plea from councillor
attended South Tyneside Magistrates’ Court earlier this year on Friday, January 10.
Milburn pleaded guilty and was sentenced to four months in prison, suspended for 12 months, and ordered to pay a £121 victim surcharge and £85 in court costs.
He was also given a 12-month community order, which will include 20 days of activities and the court ordered the forfeiture and destruction of the weapon.
The council’s constitution which reflects Government guidance states that anyone who is given a jail term of up to three months, whether that is suspended or not, can no longer act in the role.
It states: “Only registered voters of the Borough or those living or working there will be eligible to hold the office of councillor.
“Any person who holds paid office or employment with the council, or has been made subject to a bankruptcy restrictions order or interim order or has in the last five years had a sentence of imprisonment of not less than three months (whether suspended or not) imposed upon them, is disqualified from being a councillor.”
In January this year, Coun Milburn was banned for driving for 18-months and given a 12-month community order - since revoked and replaced with the new order of the same length - after he was convicted of failing to provide a breath specimen in May last year following a trial.
Coun Milburn served as a Conservative councillor until spring 2019 when he was expelled from the party after claims he had used racist language, an allegation he denied.